1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to regulating flow of an given fluid in a particular zone into or out of the production tube. More particularly, the invention relates to selective actuation of a flow control device.
2. Prior Art
As one of skill in the art will readily recognize, flow control devices such as the sliding sleeve, commercially available from Baker Oil Tools, 6023 Navigation Boulevard, Houston, Tex. 77011, have been known to the industry and have been depended upon thereby for a number of years. The tool is very effective but does require that a shifting tool be run to open or close the sliding sleeve. Running a shifting tool is time consuming and incurs the characteristic six figure cost associated with any tool run. Moreover, it is sometimes desired to change the positions of the closing sleeve or insert relative to the sleeve housing in metered increments thereby enabling a closer control over the flow device; doing the same through the employment of a shifting tool is extremely difficult. Several miles of wireline, coil tubing, etc., to move in order to actuate the tool makes small position changes nearly impossible.
Due to advancements in downhole electronic actuators and sensors as well as sophisticated decision making electronics which may be either at the surface or downhole such as that disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/385,992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,776 filed Feb. 9, 1995 by Baker Oil Tools and incorporated herein by reference, improved control apparati are more feasible.